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The Schedule Thread

Last year we had the thread just about how tough it was going to be in March, but that turned into general talk about upcoming sets of games. So I figured we'd just go that route right off this year. Plus no one wanted to see another thread with "cakewalk" in the title.

With that in mind the Pacers do have a bit of a cakewalk coming up. Okay, I'm joking a bit and not dismissing any success ahead of time, but I do feel good about the first few weeks after seeing game 1.

No JO and a high scoring Wiz team who are led by a star PG, the Pacers weak point on defense, and they got that win. It was at home, but both teams were fresh too. Perhaps they caught WSH not ready for a higher tempo I suppose, but WSH likes to score the ball so I don't know. They were dragging early in the game, even QB mentioned it. Whatever, win 1.

But now we catch MIA on a 2nd night and roading from FLA to Indy. And JO returns. Then our 2nd night is close by in Memphis and they don't appear to be very good at this point. On paper that looks like 2 good chances for wins.

Then a nice set of days off and a home game vs LAC, and with Shawne returning. The Clips are on a 2nd night of a roady coming from Chicago. You assume JO and Troy go there and know that without Brand this is another on-paper win.

A day off for travel just to Charlotte, and they are another team poised to not be very good. They actually travel just as much as Indy since they play in Philly the WED before too. On paper, win.

Back home for a 2nd night, the best way to get a 2nd night, and it's vs Denver. Not the Wiz, but a solid playoff team. But they are coming from just as far on their own 2nd night of a roady from WSH. Sweet deal for Indy. Not quite an on-paper win, but seems reasonably favorable for the Pacers.

Could be a chance to get to 5-1/6-0 before hitting a nasty set of Boston and then on the road to WSH and TOR in week 3. Even if that goes rough the tasty schedule before that could help get fan excitement going and build some team confidence before the grind sets in.

Since this will be ongoing I'm trying to avoid getting too far out in front, keeping it just to the next 2-3 weeks (although I can't tell you what to do )

Re: The Schedule Thread

Re: The Schedule Thread

For now, although the schedule can be considered favorable....I will give the Pacers the benefit of the doubt and hope that they can pull off some wins....hopefully even some solid road wins.

I am hoping that any early season wins ( even if it is due to a weak schedule ) can be used as chemistry and confidence building games. This would not only be good for the team...but good for the fans to show that we are headed in a good direction.

Ash from Army of Darkness: Good...Bad...I'm the guy with the gun.

This is David West, he is the Honey Badger, West just doesn't give a *****....he's pretty bad *ss cuz he has no regard for any other Player or Team whatsoever.

Re: The Schedule Thread

I am hoping that any early season wins ( even if it is due to a weak schedule ) can be used as chemistry and confidence building games. This would not only be good for the team...but good for the fans to show that we are headed in a good direction.

Re: The Schedule Thread

Is it boring for me to say that I just take it one game at a time. I used to look at each month's schedule and predict how many wins - but evertime I did that it seemed like it backfired and Pacers never won as many games as I figured.

So the only thing I'm worried about right now is tonight and tomorrow night - then I know they have 3 days off. Murph and Williams will likely be back so things will change then

Re: The Schedule Thread

Is it boring for me to say that I just take it one game at a time. I used to look at each month's schedule and predict how many wins - but evertime I did that it seemed like it backfired and Pacers never won as many games as I figured.

So the only thing I'm worried about right now is tonight and tomorrow night - then I know they have 3 days off. Murph and Williams will likely be back so things will change then

Re: The Schedule Thread

I agree with Galen...That early stretch of DEN/BOS/WAS/TOR/UTAH could be brutal.

And even if we come out of there at 5-4, we're gonna face some more adversity pretty quick.

Starting, Nov 27 we start another tough stretch.

Begins with a four-game West Coast trip (thankfully, it's the Cupcake West and three are very winnable) and then we face PHX/ORL/CHI/TOR in the next four out of five...with CLE tossed in as the fifth for good measure. Then it's two more roadies.

Overall, that's 8 road games in an 11-game stretch with Phoenix, Chicago and Toronto as the home opponents we get to look forward too.

I'd take 6-5 over that run if someone offered it today.

On the plus side, we shoud know A LOT about what we're working with in time to buy/return any Pacer merchandise for Christmas.

Re: The Schedule Thread

Did you know that Warren G. Harding accidentally invented the word "normalcy"? The word he was looking for was normality. Imagine that!

Did you know he also had long-term affairs with one of his friend's wives and later another one of his friend's daughters? Supposedly he had b*stard kids with both of them too. High Fiiive. Maybe that's why they call him the "Reignman."

.

Last edited by JayRedd; 11-03-2007 at 04:32 PM.
Reason: reading is fun-damental

Re: The Schedule Thread

weren't you the one who was complaining about how overused "throw under the bus" is?

And now ironically you are throwing him under the bus for using another cliche.

I'm not quite in the Shade mindset of predicting the wins and losses. More just sizing up the upcoming situation. I hate to expect wins or losses, maybe they lose to MEM but then win in TOR. I'm thinking more about setting up perspective on the efforts prior to the set of games rather than after they've won/lost.

This isn't just where a win is given a "so what, they were supposed to". It also means me saying "I didn't expect that, that was impressive" after they win those WSH, TOR or UTH games.

I agree with the guys that suggest this early stretch can win over some fans. Close finishes don't hurt either.

It's no coincidence that those are all among the best and most experienced teams in the League. Not even Utah, Chicago or Cleveland could overcome the road woes, and although the Jazz and Cavs were almsot .500, Chicago was 5 games under away from the United Center.

The Top 5 seeds in each conference are highlighted and aside from Dallas (?), Utah (young PG?) and Toronto (young/inconsistent/jump-shooters?), the better the team, the less affected it would seem they are. Roughly half the League is almost 3 ppg worse away from home, while SA, PHX, MIA, HOU and DET are virtually unaffected. This is significant.

Are we still in that lower tier? Who knows. But it's a little early to expect us to be anything resembling "road warriors" just yet. Especially when we're running a jump shooting offense and a defense based on commitment and team effort (neither of which hold up well historically in times of frustration or low confidence.) And come December 17, we'll have a much better idea

----------

So, to actually respond to your post, yes, we should still beat teams like Seattle and Portland on any given night, no matter the gym...but if we happen to only split those two or, worse, go 0-2 against them, it's going to make it really hard to come out of that 8 of 11 on the road stretch any better than 5-6. And a 3-8 run during that stretch could be highly demoralizing for a team that, right now, is flying pretty high. The last thing we need is a roster full of guys who are so far guzzling the JO'B Kool Aid to question their faith because of a skid that comes as the result of a rough patch of schedule.

I'm just pointing out that we unfortunately do face a rough patch of schedule. And I'll be watching with much curiousity how they handle it.

Re: The Schedule Thread

Good post Redd, nice numbers to back the point. I don't like that trip to NO the night after the LA game even. Not a monster trip but not the dash over to CHI, MEM or CLE either.

I also agree about the shooting away from home when you have been leaning on the outside shot to carry the offense. That's usually problematic for any team. However I think this group seems to find resolve in the defensive end and might react better than expected on the road at that end.

The tests have been much better than pre-season, but they haven't come close to the tough spots of a regular season yet.

Re: The Schedule Thread

And now ironically you are throwing him under the bus for using another cliche.

I'm not quite in the Shade mindset of predicting the wins and losses. More just sizing up the upcoming situation. I hate to expect wins or losses, maybe they lose to MEM but then win in TOR. I'm thinking more about setting up perspective on the efforts prior to the set of games rather than after they've won/lost.

This isn't just where a win is given a "so what, they were supposed to". It also means me saying "I didn't expect that, that was impressive" after they win those WSH, TOR or UTH games.

I agree with the guys that suggest this early stretch can win over some fans. Close finishes don't hurt either.

Create an ignore list. I know it may seem unneighborly. But you're here to talk about the Pacers, not argue with someone who's just looking for an argument. Most of the regular users on here make use (at least occasionally) of the "Ignore" feature. Just go to "Settings" -> "Edit Ignore List" and add the names.

Re: The Schedule Thread

Yeah, but one of those is Utah after the Pacers play in Toronto the night before. That looks like 0-2 right there.

The Lakers...maybe. Better hope so at least after the trade rumors.

Day rest for Dallas, but it's Dallas.

Then Cleveland which seems possible.

I don't know, looks pretty rough to me. Isn't this just like last year when I complained about the poor showing in the easy month with a bad month pending? If you don't kick butt when you should be it comes back to bite you when the road gets rough. They really needed those 3 wins prior to the Boston game.

Re: The Schedule Thread

Yeah, but one of those is Utah after the Pacers play in Toronto the night before. That looks like 0-2 right there.

The Lakers...maybe. Better hope so at least after the trade rumors.

Day rest for Dallas, but it's Dallas.

Then Cleveland which seems possible.

I don't know, looks pretty rough to me. Isn't this just like last year when I complained about the poor showing in the easy month with a bad month pending? If you don't kick butt when you should be it comes back to bite you when the road gets rough. They really needed those 3 wins prior to the Boston game.

Well....I was attempting to interject some modicum of positivity after last night. "Bump" was my actual feelings on the matter.